Programming Language "Python" Is The Real Money Maker For Job Seekers

A Python developer can make an average of $107,578 per year. That's pretty good, but many companies aren't looking for a "pure" Python developer they're looking to fill roles that require extensive knowledge of Python, but aren't full-time development gigs.

With that in mind, we analyzed the Dice database for job titles that rely heavily on Python. As you might expect, many of these jobs pay very well; but even the ones that pay lower than the average tech pro salary are still important to company operations, such as service desk technician. This just underscores the importance of Python to organizations in a variety of fields.

For those learning Python, and want to use it on a daily basis, it's clear that language-related jobs lie in cybersecurity, administration, and architecture. If you're completely new to the language, make sure you review the documentation around Python 3.7.0, the newest version (released June 27); it includes a variety of new features designed to make it increasingly user-friendly to developers of all skill levels.

Even if those specializations hold no interest to you, Python is one of those skills that seems equally in demand across the country, salary-wise. Last year, we used the Dice Salary Calculator to break down Python developer salaries in five major metro areas across the United States: New York City, Silicon Valley, Seattle, Dallas, and Chicago.

We found that Python jobs paid well in each of these cities: New York City salaries averaged $102,318, while Silicon Valley devs made around $97,310. Seattle's average salary was $94,362, trailed by Dallas at $90,144. Chicago's Python developers earned $89,562.

The language's popularity has grown not merely among professional developers nearly 40% of whom use it, with a further 25% wishing to do so, according to Stack Overflow, a programming forum but also with ordinary folk. How to use various languages, says that by far the biggest increase in demand is from those wishing to learn Python according to Codeacademy. It is thus bringing coding to the fingertips of those once baffled by the subject. Pythonistas, as aficionados are known, have helped by adding more than 145,000 packages to the Cheese Shop, covering everything from astronomy to game development.

Earlier this month, IEEE Spectrum also placed Python at the very top of its new rankings of programming languages most in-demand among employers, followed by C++, Java, C, and C#. Clearly, this is a language with career possibilities no matter which job you eventually choose.